Sunday of Thomas: "Unbelief Gave Birth to Firm Faith"

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

The first Sunday after the Resurrection of the Lord, also called Antipascha, is dedicated to the disciple of Christ, Thomas, who now becomes the “means,” through his unbelief, in order that the fact of the victory over death may be made certain. “Unbelief gave birth to firm faith,” according to the Hymnographer. And this is because this unbelief “provokes” the Lord to reveal to him more clearly the signs of His presence and to lead him to the saving confession: “My Lord and my God.”

1. Thus the unbelief of Thomas becomes good unbelief. However paradoxical this may sound, the reality is this: there exists good unbelief, but also bad unbelief. Good unbelief is that which, in the first stage, traps a person in doubt and denial, setting as a priority for him faith in reason and the senses. “Unless I see, I will not believe.” It is the skepticism that we encounter many times in the Gospel narratives, as in the case, for example, of Nathanael, when he is called to know the Messiah by his friend Philip—“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”—or as in the case of the tragic father who indeed turns to Jesus in order to heal his child, but full of questions and doubt: “But if You can do anything, help us.” And the Lord does not reject this doubt and this skepticism. He takes them as the first impulses of faith, which will lead to firm and certain faith. For He sees that this unbelief springs from a heart that suffers and is in anguish. Thus the mark of good unbelief appears to be this: the suffering heart of a person, which struggles between faith and unbelief. “I believe, Lord”—to recall again that same father—“help my unbelief.” One also remembers here the similar event of unbelief that Elder Paisios experienced in his childhood (then Arsenios), when the unbelief of a student shook his certainties up to that time. And he describes to us the pain of that state: “My spiritual horizon became clouded. I was filled with doubts. Sorrow took hold of my soul.” It is the similar condition that every person goes through, until he becomes firmly established in his faith in Christ—a fact which means that this phase of unbelief is not regarded as something negative and strange, but as a natural step in the course of a person’s spiritual maturation.

April: Day 20: Teaching 2: Venerable John of the Old Lavra

April: Day 20: Teaching 2:
Venerable John of the Old Lavra
 
(How Is Love for God Manifested)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Saint now being glorified, the holy Venerable John, is called "of the Old Lavra" because he was saved (labored in ascetic life) in the lavra of the holy Venerable Chariton, which was called old or ancient, as the most ancient among the Palestinian monasteries. This lavra was located not far from Bethlehem, in the direction of the Dead Sea. The holy John, out of love for God, in his youth left the world and settled in the lavra, where, in the rank of presbyter, he attained a high degree of holiness. He lived in the 8th century.

II. The Venerable John, who out of love for God left the world, naturally leads us to reflection on what manifests true love for God.

Is it necessary for its manifestation for everyone and in all cases to leave the world? Or is it not possible, even while living in the world, to show one’s sincere and free love for God? Without doubt, it is possible. Love for God, just like love for man, cannot remain hidden. It must necessarily have its visible actions, its external signs. What then are these signs or actions by which love for God is manifested? Let us examine. The signs by which love for God is manifested always and everywhere are many and various.

April: Day 20: Teaching 1: Venerable Theodore the Trichinas

April: Day 20: Teaching 1:
Venerable Theodore the Trichinas
 
(About Luxury in Clothing)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The now-blessed Venerable Theodore was the son of wealthy parents living in Constantinople, but he was not enticed by earthly goods, and, leaving the world, labored ascetically in the desert, in Thrace. He wore no other clothing except a coarse hair-shirt. The name “Trichinas” — that is, hair-shirt wearer — he received from the hair-shirt by which he wore down his body.

Glorifying the Venerable Theodore, the Holy Church sings:

“You showed yourself most wondrous in life, O wise father Theodore, having exchanged garments of hair for those beyond royal treasures which are on earth; for this reason you received heavenly clothing. Ever intercede for us, O Venerable one!” (Kontakion)

Synaxis of Panagia the Helper at the University General Hospital of Patras

In 1988, the reconstruction of the University General Hospital of Patras was completed, which now constitutes a point of reference for the whole of southwestern Greece and beyond.

Immediately, the need arose for the construction of a Sacred Temple for the celebration of the liturgical services of our Church, as well as for participation in the Holy Mysteries by the staff and the patients.

The Sacred Temple is the center of the life of all Christians. It is like a loving Mother who embraces her children, cares for them, and strengthens them, offering richly her saving grace.

This great truth was perceived in time by a distinguished and pious lady of Patras, who took upon herself the entire burden of the expenses for the construction of a Sacred Temple — a true ornament of the Hospital of Rio.

Prologue in Sermons: April 20

By Our Sins We Drive Away From Ourselves our Guardian Angel

April 20

(A Word from Saint Anastasios the Abbot of Sinai)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

The Lord is so merciful to us, brethren, that to each one of us, at Holy Baptism, He gives for our whole life an invisible defender, an instructor in all that is good and right, and a guide to the heavenly fatherland — the Guardian Angel.

“Those who are in the Christian faith, to every person there is given from God an Angel for preservation during his whole life,” says Saint Anastasios the abbot (Prologue, April 20). And again: “To every faithful one from God, to each one an Angel was given, and he writes down all his good deeds” (ibid., fol. 37).

But if each one of us has a Guardian Angel, why then does the Holy Church every day, in the church services, ask for him for us? “An angel of peace,” it cries, “a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, we ask of the Lord.” And in the evening prayer the believer likewise entreats the Lord for a Guardian Angel: “Send Your Guardian Angel, covering and preserving me from every evil.” Why is this so? If once the Guardian Angel is given for our whole life, then why still ask for him?

Homily on Thomas Sunday (St. Justin Popovich)

Homily on Thomas Sunday 

(John 20:19–31)

By St. Justin Popovich

(Delivered in 1965 in the Monastery of Ćelije)

...¹

Christ is risen!—and to all of us He gave meaning to life and showed what God is and what man is. The Lord Christ showed us that man without God remains in death, is entirely dead, entirely mortal. And He, the God-man, behold, rose from the dead, conquered death for our sake; by His Resurrection He secured immortality for man, to the human being He gave what no one has given. His Resurrection indeed is the most important event in the history of all worlds. The Resurrection of the Lord Christ is the most important event in the history of the human race. It is the most important event both for me and for you in the history of my life and in the history of your life.

What would the history of my life be if the Lord had not risen? A short path from cradle to grave, a path full of thorns, full of sufferings and horrors. But with Him, the Risen One, everything changes. Both I and you change; suddenly we become immortal people, immortal beings, beings that are stronger than death. Behold, man has become stronger than death! That is victory—the only true victory in this world. And the Lord is therefore the only True Victor in all worlds because He conquered death. If the Lord had not risen, everything would be in vain. What use are suns, what use heavens, when I and you end with death, when our last station is the grave! If the Lord Christ did not rise, says the Holy Apostle, “our preaching is in vain, in vain also our Gospel, in vain also our faith”².

Homily Five for the Sunday of Saint Thomas (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Five for the Sunday of Saint Thomas  

By St. John of Kronstadt

Today, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, I wish to offer you a word on today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Its content is as follows: 

"By the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people (that is, those who were in Jerusalem); and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Portico. None of the outsiders dared join them, but the people magnified them. And more and more believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of men and women, so that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Also many gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy; and they laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison. But an Angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said: Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life" (Acts 5:12–20). 

Here the reading from the Apostle ends.

Sunday of Thomas, or Antipascha (Prof. John Fountoulis)

Sunday of Thomas 

By Professor John Fountoulis

The celebration of Pascha continues throughout the entire week that follows it, the Renewal Week, the new week. All of this is regarded as one paschal day, during which “we celebrate this life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ,” according to the Synaxarion. And the week is concluded with the eighth day, the New Sunday, otherwise called the Sunday of Thomas or Antipascha.

This is the type of the eighth day of the age to come, “for it is appointed as an image of that endless day, of the one in the age to come, which will be both first and one, not interrupted by night,” according to the Synaxarion.

However, the Sunday of Thomas is not an image of the age to come simply and only because it is the eighth day from Pascha. It is also because it is the day of Christ’s presence in the midst of the circle of the eleven disciples, of the confirmation of the fact of the Resurrection, of the removal of every doubt, of personal communion and the touching of the Risen One. And precisely this presence and this touching are a type of the eternal presence of Christ in the age to come in the midst of His Church. Then nothing will hinder the longed-for vision of God, of Christ, and personal communion with Him. Then the barriers of unbelief will fall, and together with Thomas the people of God will confess the saving confession: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

Prologue in Sermons: April 19

Our Firmness in the Faith Causes Even our Enemies to Respect Us

April 19

(A word from the Paterikon about the widow whom the prince had mercy on because of the humility of her son.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Why is it, brethren, that it often happens that even many good Christians avoid us, do not fulfill our requests, and despise us? It often happens because good Christians see in us bad Christians who do not keep the commandments of God; they see us limping on both knees. But if we were to live differently, if we showed before all our firm faith and a life according to faith, then things would be different.